Marine organisms
In this section we will be looking at the biological components of the various habitats found around the Essex coast with descriptions of the various organisms that we have catalogued and a photo gallery of each of the organisms, taken in the wild where at all possible to give the best impression of how these wonderful animals and plants live and interact.
As scientists we use the scientific or ‘Latin’ names for the organisms that we find and this helps to prevent the confusion that could occur where different animals have the same or similar common names given to them. An example of this can be seen by the species listed under the common name of Flat Periwinkle, you will notice that there are two separate Latin names as the the same common name is used for both of these species due to the fact that they look similar. We have listed the catalogue below in alphabetical order based on both types of names, if you search by Latin name then the Common name, if there is one, will be in brackets, similarly if you search by Common name then the Latin name will be in brackets.
In the descriptions we have only used the scientific names and you will find that the more you are exposed to them the more they will stick in your mind and become a part of natural speech like any other word you have learnt.
By clicking on any of the names below you will be taken to a page describing the organism’s biology and ecology. The page will also have a photograph of a locally found specimen and a link to a gallery of further images taken by us.
This list is not a comprehensive list of marine organisms to be found around the Essex coast and will be added to frequently as we find samples to photograph and write about.
Species by group
Cnidaria (e.g. Jellyfish, Hydroids, Anemones)
Crustaceans (e.g. Crabs, Shrimps)
Echinoderms (e.g. Starfish, Sea Urchins)
Molluscs (e.g. Chitons, Slugs & Snails, Bivalves, Cuttlefish & Squid)
Full Alphabetical Catalogue
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Actinia equina (Beadlet Anemone)
Actinia fragacea (Strawberry Anemone)
Agonus cataphractus (Hooknose)
American Slipper Limpet (Crepidula fornicata)
Anurida maritima (Spring Tail)
Ascophylum nodosum (Egg Wrack)
Aurelia aurita (Moon Jellyfish)
Barnea candida (White Piddock)
Beadlet Anemone (Actinia equina)
Bladder Wrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
Buccinum undatum (Common Whelk)
Carcinus maenas (Green Shore Crab)
Cerastomderma edule (Common Cockle)
Common Cockle (Cerastoderma edule)
Common Limpet (Patella vulgata)
Common Mussel (Mytilis edulis)
Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea)
Common Sea Slater (Ligia oceanica)
Common Stingray (Dasyatis pastinaca)
Common Sun Star (Crossaster papposus)
Common Whelk (Buccinum undatum)
Corystes cassivelaunus (Masked Crab)
Crassostrea gigas (Portuguese Oyster)
Crepidula fornicata (American Slipper Limpet)
Crossaster papposus (Common Sun Star)
Dasyatis pastinaca (Common Stingray)
Egg Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum)
Enteromorpha intestinalis (Gut Weed)
Flat Periwinkle (Littorina mariae)
Flat Periwinkle (Littorina obtusata)
Fucus vesiculosus (Bladder Wrack)
Gibbula cineraria (Grey Top Shell)
Green Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas)
Gut Weed (Enteromorpha intestinalis)
Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
Hooknose (Agonus cataphractus)
Lanice conchilega (Sand Mason)
Ligia oceanica (Common Sea Slater)
Littorina littorea (Common Periwinkle)
Littorina mariae (Flat Periwinkle)
Littorina obtusata (Flat Periwinkle)
Masked Crab (Corystes cassivelaunus)
Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
Mytilis edulis (Common Mussel)
Patella vulgata (Common Limpet)
Phocoena phocoena (Harbour Porpoise)
Portuguese Oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
Sand Mason (Lanice conchilega)
Spring Tail (Anurida maritima)
Strawberry Anemone (Actinia fragacea)
White Piddock (Barnea candida)